NMSD’s ASL Service Corp is a program that serves locations in rural New Mexico. Our tutors provide ASL instruction to families and to school programs where deaf children live.
WHAT OUR PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE
NMSD hires and places ASL Tutors to live in various locations around the state to provide direct signed language instruction. The service year begins with training in August. Tutors arrive at their site locations by late August to begin teaching ASL.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE DIRECT SIGNED LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION FROM ASL TUTORS?
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Families and Their Communities – Families will determine the type and frequency of service they desire to have. Ways service can be provided: in home instruction; informal instruction at a local restaurant, church, community center or playground; 1-on-1 family instruction or through local workshops with other families; other ideas as the family requests.
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Educational Teams – Schools can request services in a variety of ways or places that help meet their needs: ongoing classes for staff and/or students; class time support through language modeling for deaf students, hearing students and staff; after school programs; ASL Clubs; evening classes for staff or families; after school, evening or weekend workshops; other ideas as the team requests.
ASL Service Corps Team Members:
Dean Krohn (ASC Program Coordinator), M.A. is currently in his thirteenth year of working at NMSD, and this is his fifth year work with ASL Service Corps (ASC) program as Supervisor/Coordinator. He has variety of work experiences including Mechanical Engineer, Webmaster, Graphic Designer, Computer/ASL Teacher, Media Specialist and Coordinator. After eight years of Computer Teacher and Media Specialist, Teaching ASL leads him to get his Masters degree, and become ASL Program Coordinator for CECT department. He is Colorado native and loves outdoor activities.
ASL Programs: Statewide Online ASL Classes, ASL Regional Events, ASL Service Corps, and ASL Immersion Week.
Troy Thompson (ASC Supervisor & ASL Tutor), M.A. is originally from Kentucky. He is currently in his first year of supervising and ASL Tutor for NMSD ASL Service Corps. He has been teaching his students at university level in Massachusetts for 3 years before he relocated to Santa Fe. Before moving to New Mexico, he lived in Upstate New York, Washington, D.C. and Riverside, CA. He plans to study his dissertation in the Ph.D program someday because he enjoys learning new things giving back to the Deaf community. In his spare time, he loves riding his jeep off road, exploring new scenery, and snowboarding.
Communities Served 2020-2021: Portales, Roswell, Artesia, Carlsbad, Santa Fe, Hondo, and Ruidoso.
Michael Baker (ASL Tutor) is currently in his fourth year of teaching ASL with NMSD, and this is his second year as ASL Tutor. Bernalillo is where he calls home. Before moving to New Mexico, he lived in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, CA. He enjoys teaching and connecting with people. Michael loves travelling, especially in Mexico. Great and delicious food is his biggest weakness. In his spare time, he loves playing video and board games, swimming, watching movies, and socializing.
Communities Served 2020-2021: Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Espanola, Las Vegas, Pecos, Deming, and Silver City, Las Cruces.
Colin Denny (ASL Tutor) was born in Shiprock, New Mexico and raised in Pinon, Arizona. He is Deaf and a full blood Navajo individual. He attended public school in Pinon Unified School District until age 12 and then he transferred to Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB). He graduated from ASDB with the Class of 2009 and took a gap year after graduating. He later enrolled at Diné College and completed his Association of Arts degree in Fine Art. After completing Diné College he enrolled at Gallaudet University and completed his Bachelor of Arts in Art & Media Design with two concentration in Photography and Graphic Design and graduated with the Class of 2019. Currently, he is enrolled in Master of Art in Sign Language Education (MASLED) program. He loves to travel places, find new running trails, and spend time with his family.
Communities Served 2020-2021: Farmington, Kirtland, Bloomfield, Dulce, Newcomb, and Gallup.
For more information about the ASL Tutor Program, please contact:
Dean Krohn
505.501.7730 (VP/Phone)
505.310.0839 (Text)
[email protected]